CUTHBERTS UPDATE

Address: 2191 Bayham Dr. SE,
Kentwood, MI 49508
E-Mail: acuthbert@abwe.cc
Website: http://www.his.msites.com/   

Allan & Robin can be seen teaching on the mission field while also running Horizon Interntaional Schools (HIS). HIS provides Biblically based, culturally relevant curricula through distance learning for church leaders all over the world. They help write, facilitate & teach the curricula. Their office is in Grand Rapids, MI but they can also be found training and teaching around the world.

Fun fact: They both enjoy stamp collecting. Robin collects stamps (new or used) from around the world. Especially USA.  Allan collects mint stamps (new) only from Brazil, Israel, and lighthouse stamps from all over the world.

 

MARCH UPDATE:

Dear Friends,

I recently listened to a report of training going on in our Moodle site in Central America, and was reminded of the importance of what we do here at Horizon. After years of teaching in a traditional classroom school, a teacher was sharing how his online classes on Bible study, exposition, and preaching has changed the way he has taught for years. He not only has more contact with his students, but they have more contact with each other. Most importantly, the level of learning, transformation, and excitement was contagious.

This is not the typical online class where content is simply loaded on a site and students are left to figure out what is being taught. The courses are built to involve and lead students to change the way they handle, preach and teach the word of God. It starts out with a desire to change the life of the student by getting them excited about understanding what the Word of God is communicating and then applying those truths in their own lives. This teacher is challenged as he observes the students interacting with the text and asking some very pointed questions. This is what he always imagined in a teaching environment, but after 20 years of teaching he is finally experiencing this thrill. Never did he think that teaching online would be the very medium through which this lifelong dream would come true. Never did he realize that it would take so much time, and that he would be able to teach students in several countries at the same time. Never did he realize how open and vulnerable students could become with each other, and at the same time encourage and help each other in studying the Word of God.

One pastor shares: “I had been brought to realize that we study the Bible to prepare a sermon like someone trying to sell something when we should be studying the Bible to allow God to speak to us personally and after that, comes the sermon.”

As summer vacation comes to a close in many South American countries, several more classes will soon begin. I know many of you are still digging out of a deep winter snow! Pray for both teachers and students that will be studying this fall. It has been an uphill learning curve for many as they transition to online learning communities from a traditional classroom environment.

At the beginning of this year I travelled to Colombia for a course design and facilitator training seminar. The teachers are now studying online for further training. A conference-call board meeting was held this month with board members from Brazil, South Africa, Sto Lucia, and various parts of the US and Canada. I would like to thank First Baptist Church in Rochester for making it possible to acquire a conference-call system to cut costs of travel and improve voice quality online.

I went to London for a theological education conference, where I had the opportunity of meeting several involved in theological education from various countries of the world. I was challenged with the desperate need to train pastors and lay leaders for the global church. Evangelism and church planting is occurring in many countries at incredible rates, but the lack of trained leaders to lead the churches is causing a multitude of problems. I heard the Macedonian call from several as they asked me, “come and help us!” From London I flew to southern Germany to work on courses with our partners. Travel these days can be so challenging, as there are constant flight cancellations, delays, and equipment breakdowns. I had my share of challenges on this trip, but through it all God has protected, directed, and helped me to grow in character through it all.

On March 11 I will leave for Brazil to do further training. I am in the process of turning over most of the Portuguese training to a Brazilian colleague, Moises, who will work with HIS as a Portuguese language administrator. He is waiting for visa approval to remain in the U.S. to continue his work. He was to travel with me, so that I could transition many current training opportunities to him, but at this date, has not received approval. I will be in Brazil from March 11 thru April 1. Pray that God would give me strength, wisdom, and safety as I work in three different schools.

Prayer & Praise –
·Priase for increased support from several.
·Pray for 4 training sites offering courses.
·Prayer for facilitators and students as they adjust to teaching and learning in an online
environment.
·Pray for Moises and family visa needs.
·Pray March 10-April 1 - Allen - training, teaching, speaking in three locations in Brazil.

Serving Him with Joy,

Allan